The KBO League, South Korea’s highest professional baseball league, will begin its regular season in about nine hours from the time of this posting. ESPN will broadcast the games “generally on ESPN2 and the ESPN App.”
For many Americans, who only watch Major League Baseball, watching Korean baseball will bring in a whole host of unknown faces and talents. There are, however, a handful of former major leaguers currently on KBO rosters. If you’re looking for a familiar face, you may find one here:
Doosan Bears
- 1B José Miguel Fernández (2018 Angels)
- P Raul Alcántara (2016-17 Athletics)
- P Chris Flexen (2017-19 Mets)
Hanwha Eagles
- P Chad Bell (2017-18 Tigers)
- OF Jared Hoying (2016-17 Rangers)
- P Warwick Saupold (2016-18 Tigers)
Kia Tigers
- P Drew Gagnon (2018-19 Mets)
- OF Preston Tucker (2015-16 Astros; ’18 Braves, Reds)
- P Aaron Brooks (2014-15 Royals; ’15, ’18-19 Athletics, ’19 Orioles)
Kiwoom Heroes
- P Eric Jokisch (2014 Cubs)
- P Jake Brigham (2015 Braves)
- UT Taylor Motter (2016 Rays, ’17-18 Mariners, ’18 Twins)
- 1B ByungHo Park (2016 Twins)
KT Wiz
- P Odrisamer Despaigne (2014-15 Padres; ’16 Orioles; ’16-18 Marlins; ’18 Angels, ’19 White Sox)
- 3B Jae-gyun Hwang (2017 Giants)
- P William Cuevas (2016 Red Sox; ’17 Tigers; ’18 Red Sox)
LG Twins
- P Casey Kelly (2012, ’15 Padres; ’16 Braves; ’18 Giants)
- 1B Dae-ho Lee (2016 Mariners)
- P Tyler Wilson (2015-17 Orioles)
- OF Hyun Soo Kim (2016-17 Orioles; ’17 Phillies)
Lotte Giants
- P Dan Straily (2012-14 Athletics; ’14 Cubs; ’15 Astros; ’16 Reds; ’17-18 Marlins; ’19 Orioles)
- P Adrian Sampson (2016 Mariners; ’18-19 Rangers)
- 2B/SS Dixon Machado (2015-18 Tigers)
NC Dinos
- P Drew Rucinski (2014-15 Angels; ’17 Twins; ’18 Marlins)
- OF Aaron Altherr (2014-19 Phillies; ’19 Giants, Mets)
- P Mike Wright (2015-19 Orioles; ’19 Mariners)
Samsung Lions
- P Seunghwan Oh (2016-17 Cardinals; ’18 Blue Jays; ’18-19 Rockies)
- IF Tyler Saladino (2015-18 White Sox; ’18-19 Brewers)
- P Ben Lively (2017-18 Phillies; ’18-19 Royals)
- P David Buchanan (2014-15 Phillies)
SK Wyverns
- P Nick Kingham (2018-19 Pirates; ’19 Blue Jays)
- 1B/OF Jamie Romak (2014 Dodgers; ’15 Diamondbacks)
- P Ricardo Pinto (2017 Phillies; ’19 Rays)
